Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Which of These Missourians Are Hall Of Fame Worthy?

It's time to select the next inductees to the Hall of Famous Missourians, and the state is using democracy to do it!

Controversy arose around last year's selection after then House Speaker Steven Tilley chose conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, eventually eliciting some angry petitions. Limbaugh's bust currently resides inside the Missouri State Capitol rotunda with the others. (Daily RFT will wait while you giggle at "Rush's Limbaugh's bust.")

This year, however, House Speaker Tim Jones is giving the power to the people to select two new famous Missourians. Jones will pick the third. The winners will join a diverse selection of the state's finest, including Walt Disney, President Harry Truman, Mark Twain and abolitionist and freed slave Dred Scott. Voting is open through October 31.

Below, Daily RFT breaks down this year's candidates. You can vote here. Let us know in the comments who you think deserves to win!

Andrew Taylor Still founded the practice of osteopathy, a form of alternative medicine that uses connections between the body's nerves, muscles, bones and organs to help it heal. Till might have spent more time investigating the relationship between his face and expressing human emotion.

A composer, band conductor and music educator, Claude T. Smith is best known for composing "Flight," which was adopted by as the official march of the National Air and Space Museum. Here's a video of the St. Louis Wind Symphony performing it: